FRIDAY, JULY 24
MUSIC—What if somebody threw a free, all-ages, all-local music festival right here in Portland? Well, PDX Pop Now! did, and they’ve been doing it every year since 2004. Today the three-day-long fest kicks off, so get yourself down under the Hawthorne Bridge and binge on the best local music has to offer. NED LANNAMANN
w/Diesto, Old Kingdom; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $8
COMEDY—With blisteringly clever insights on race, class, and culture, comedian Hari Kondabolu’s one of the smartest, funniest comics working today. Seeing him live is always a blast—an experience that’ll crack you up just as much as it knocks you off-balance. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, Thurs 8 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 & 10 pm, $16-34
SATURDAY, JULY 25
MUSIC—Insisting that they’re a “celebration rather than a tribute,” Seattle’s BowieVision reinterprets the classic works of David Bowie—and does so with a phenomenal amount of verve and charm. And if that’s not enough for you, they’ll be joined by a pretty excellently named Talking Heads tribute band, This Is Not My Beautiful Band. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $15
SHOPPING—It’s true there are a lot of craft fairs in this city, and this weekend’s Renegade Craft Fair is not the last we’ll see of them this summer. But it is one of the bigger and better ones, particularly since it adds a healthy sprinkling of vendors traveling from out of state to mix in with some of our own region’s all-stars. MARJORIE SKINNER
Rejuvenation, 1100 SE Grand, Sat & Sun 11 am-6 pm, FREE
MUSIC—Hope you got tickets to this white-hot Jamie xx show. You didn’t? Oh, geez, well time to snuggle up to your friendly neighborhood scalper. This shit’s full for good reason—producer Jamie Smith’s debut solo album, In Colour, is evocative, danceable, and full of loops and samples perfect for sweating the night away. COURTNEY FERGUSON
w/Mattis; Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 9 pm, $18-22
SUNDAY, JULY 26
FLOATING—Pay no attention to the toxic algae, kids, the Willamette River is just fine for swimming. No, really! The Big Float aims to help Portlanders reclaim our river for recreation, with a huge group float, plus live music, food, a huge slip ‘n’ slide, and a ton of clean, safe fun. Really. MARJORIE SKINNER
Tom McCall Bowl, SW Columbia & Naito, 11 am-6 pm, $8-10 (bring your own life jacket), all ages
STREET FAIR—Not all street fairs are created equal, but the Lents Street Fair rises above the summer fray of crowded outdoor fêtes, with a lineup including a parade, a chicken beauty contest (who’s the fairest one of all?!), an appearance from the Belmont goats, and free basic bike repairs. Plus beer, bands, and arts ‘n’ crafts. MEGAN BURBANK
SE 91st from Foster to Reedway, parade at 11:15 am, FREE